hornet

Etymology

From Middle English hernet, from Old English hyrnetu, hyrnete, from Proto-Germanic *hurznutō (compare German Hornisse), alteration of Proto-Germanic *hursulǭ (compare Dutch horzel), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱr̥h₂sro- (“hornet”, literally “the one with horns (antennae)”), from *ḱerh₂- (“horn”) (compare Welsh creyryn (“gadfly”), Latin crābrō (“hornet”), Lithuanian širšė (“wasp”), Old Church Slavonic сръшень (srŭšenĭ, “hornet”), Albanian grerë, grenzë (“wasp, hornet”)).

noun

  1. A large wasp, of the genus Vespa, having a brown-and-yellow-striped body and the ability to inflict a serious sting.
  2. A person who pesters with petty but ceaseless attacks.

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